


Spiders Don't Like Fireworks

by punkybunny



Series: Just Spiderling Things [3]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Cute, Hurt/Comfort, Overstimulation, Parent Tony Stark, Peter Parker Acts Like a Spider, Peter Parker Gets a Hug, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Platonic Cuddling, Protective Tony Stark, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart, im just projecting tbh, sorry i made peter a baby in this, this is literally just so sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-19
Updated: 2020-06-19
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:07:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24801322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/punkybunny/pseuds/punkybunny
Summary: "He must have taken too long to respond because Tony spoke up again. "Your heart rate is way too high, kid. Don't pretend you're fine."Peter felt tears fill his eyes, and dammit, he really didn't want to be alone right now. He didn't want to pretend to be brave, he just wanted comfort. "Um," He choked out, cringing at the sound of his voice, even if it was quiet. "Could you come over? I-I'm sorry… it's the fireworks.""Fireworks cause Peter's senses to overload. Somebody please get this boy some comfort.
Relationships: Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Series: Just Spiderling Things [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1782811
Comments: 21
Kudos: 570





	Spiders Don't Like Fireworks

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not capable of writing a story without cuddles!!! Deal with it!  
> Idk if this came out how I wanted it to, but I like it enough so yeah.  
> You don't need to read the other two parts! These are separate drabbles but I guess they could go together??  
> Anyways, enjoy!!! :)

Whenever the fourth of July came around, Peter would spend it with May. A movie would blast between them to block out the sound of fireworks and the two of them would laugh and snack until Peter inevitably fell asleep nestled on the worn couch in various blankets. The festivities of this particular holiday weren't ever anything special to the two of them, especially since Ben's death, when the harsh sounds of fireworks too closely resembled gunshots. Even before May understood the effect fireworks had on Peter's enhanced senses (before she knew he even had enhanced senses), it was tradition for them to eat in and block out the holiday entirely. 

So when May said she was taking a night shift on the fourth this year, Peter was worried about being alone. He never had to deal with the loud noises and bright lights of the fireworks by himself. After worrying for hours, he somehow briefly forgot what day it was as he facetimed Ned, whose family was taking a trip out of town. The two caught up on their summers so far, chatting until it got dark outside and right when Peter said goodbye and turned off his phone the first firework crackled through the sky. 

Peter flinched in surprise, the harsh noise causing his shoulders to tense up. Propped up against his bed's headboard, he glanced out the window at the colorful lights that had been dancing in the corner of his vision. They weren't even that close to his apartment, but with his enhanced vision, he could see them more than perfectly. The teen felt a migraine begin behind his eyes and he hissed in pain. 

As he tried to shuffle over to his window to close the blinds, the fibers of his comforter, worn hoodie, and sweats scratched uncomfortably against his skin. Peter gasped in shock at the overwhelming feeling as he curled up into himself, leaving the blinds open. 

Understanding of what was happening washed over Peter, as well as a deep feeling of dread. He was experiencing a sensory overload. Usually they occured at school when the voices of all the students and teachers became too much. He'd excuse himself to the bathroom to wait it out alone, propped up on a toilet seat with his earbuds in his ears. He also got them at home sometimes with May. She would turn off the lights and hug him close, as he focused on the smell of her perfume, letting everything else melt away. 

More fireworks went off outside, the bursting and blinding lights mixed with the crackling noises overwhelming Peter. He pushed his hands against his ears and squeezed his eyes closed. It didn't ease the pain at all. 

Peter could hear the family a couple floors down arguing about politics, could smell the pizza they were eating, nausea settling in his stomach. A block away he could hear a pigeon pecking at popcorn on the sidewalk, before flapping away as a group of teens approached. Further down, two blocks away he could pick up the sounds of someone purchasing a hotdog and debating on their condiments. 

It only felt like his senses were getting worse (or better?) over time and the fireworks just kept exploding through the sky, each noise causing Peter to curl further into himself, his breathing quick as tears pricked at the corners of his vision. It was too much.

Peter wished he had May with him to help him block out his senses and comfort him through it. Or maybe even Ned. Ned knew about his senses getting overloaded, though his friend had never actually had the chance to help him through one. Hell, Peter wished he had Mr. Stark with him right now, even if the teen still had his worries about bothering the man. Mr. Stark had never witnessed Peter having a sensory overload before, but the concept probably wouldn't be that surprising to him. The man was the only one Peter could think to ask for help right now.

As Peter debated whether or not to call Mr. Stark, his finger hovering over the call button on his phone (and his head pounding from looking at the bright phone screen), a call from Tony started to come through. Peter stared in shock at the incoming call for a couple seconds before he accepted and attempted to greet the other without sounding like he was in the middle of an anxiety attack. "Mr. Stark?" 

There was a pause and Peter cursed internally, hoping his voice hadn't been shaking too much. "Pete? What happened?" Peter winced at the sound of his mentor's voice booming through his ears, even though his phone was sitting on his bed a foot away. 

He must have taken too long to respond because Tony spoke up again. "Your heart rate is way too high, kid. Don't pretend you're fine." 

Peter felt tears fill his eyes, and dammit, he really didn't want to be alone right now. He didn't want to pretend to be brave, he just wanted comfort. "Um," He choked out, cringing at the sound of his voice, even if it was quiet. "Could you come over? I-I'm sorry… it's the fireworks." 

There was a beat of silence, likely from Tony sitting in shock at the sound of Peter's wobbly voice. And then the man was whispering, "Is it your senses? Shit, it must be so loud for you, kid." Peter heard shuffling on the other end, hopefully Tony getting ready to come over. "I'll be there, Petey. How bad is it on a scale of one to ten?" 

Peter wanted to answer but he couldn't think, it was just too much. He felt tears spill down his cheeks and he whimpered as another loud burst of fireworks went off outside. Mr. Stark must have heard because he cursed and the shuffling continued. "I d-don't know, Mr. Stark." 

"That's okay, kid, don't worry." Peter then heard the sound of repulsors as the Iron Man suit took flight. "I'm almost there." 

His mentor stayed on the line with Peter until he arrived at the apartment. His father figure's steps got louder as he made his way to Peter's floor. His and May's apartment door was promptly unlocked (May must have given him a key in case of emergencies), and the metal steps, which left a sharp ache in Peter's head, were replaced with softer, hurried steps towards the teen's bedroom door. 

Peter hesitantly opened his eyes, attempting to sit up straighter and look less like a mess. But it must've failed because his mentor's eyes widened and he opened his mouth slightly in shock from his spot a couple feet away. The older man floundered for a second, obviously not knowing exactly how to comfort someone in this particular situation. 

Outside the room, a fresh set of booming fireworks sparked against the sky and Peter, against his will, curled up once again, his tear-stained face pressed against his knees as he gasped for breath. The teen dug the palms of his hands into his ears in a feeble attempt to make the noise finally stop. Tony, from across the room, frowned as he made his way over to the boy, his shock dissipating. 

Settling on his mentee's bed, he patted Peter's shoulder and whispered, "It's alright." The teen flinched at the touch of his hand and the sound of his voice. "I'm gonna try something, okay?" It took the kid a little while to respond, and even then it was only a small nod. 

Tony gently reached over and removed the boy's hands from over his sensitive ears causing Peter to whimper. The man then set his hand on the other's ear and murmured, "You know what to do, Fri." He watched as the nanotech formed into a pair of sleek red headphones over Peter's ears. Tony noticed that the boy's eyes were still squeezed shut, so he quickly got up and closed the blinds and shut the door so no light would shine into the room. 

Peter peeked open his eyes as his mentor sat down next to him, his hearing almost completely down to zero. His breathing still came in short gasps, the awareness of it sending tears of embarrassment down his cheeks. Mr. Stark must have noticed this because he hesitantly leaned closer and wrapped Peter up into his arms. The spider kid's sense of touch wasn't as extreme anymore, in fact he welcomed the hug. Mr. Stark always gave the warmest hugs, a fact Peter had learned over time as the man opened up and came to realize that the best form of comfort for the teen was physical touch. 

So Peter melted into the soft warmth of the hug, squishing his face against Mr. Stark's chest. He felt the man breath slowly, almost too slowly, as though he was trying to ease Peter's own breaths. And it worked. Peter tried to match his mentor's breathing (in and out in and out in and out), feeling himself calming down significantly, the tears drying up on his face. 

A wave of intense sleepiness hit Peter. It wasn't really a surprise; his sensory overloads always left him exhausted. The teen moved impossibly closer to Tony, practically on his lap as they both sat against Peter's bed's headboard. "Thank you, Mr. Stark," He mumbled quietly, feeling the arms around him tighten in response. 

A hand brushed back his curls as Tony pressed a kiss to the kid's forehead. The man's chest vibrated and even though the teen couldn't hear him, he smiled lazily, knowing that the gesture had been a silent, gentle "You're welcome."

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you! I hope it wasn't too cheesy <3


End file.
